7. New Orleans Pelicans - Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare for some of their own changes this offseason, it would be a huge loss for the team if they ended up falling out of the top 4 in the NBA Draft Lottery. Nevertheless, as they eye a new era for the franchise, adding a clear playmaking guard of the future could be a strong way to begin the offseason. With Jeremiah Fears already off the board, Kasparas Jakucionis is a player that would make a ton of sense for the Pelicans here late in the top 10.
Jakucionis did have somewhat of an up-and-down freshman season at Illinois, but his size, 3-point shooting ability, and playmaking skills do make him an intriguing option for any team late in the top 10. Jakucionis is one of those prospects that could be selected anywhere from the top 5 to outside the top 10. His pre-draft process will go a long way in determining where he's going to be drafted, but if he's still available at No. 7, he'd be a nice snag for New Orleans.
8. Toronto Raptors - Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
With how the board has fallen, I would expect the Toronto Raptors to start the run on big men. At the top of the list of center prospects is Khaman Maluach. His draft stock is still somewhat of a mystery, especially with how disappointing he ended his career at Duke, but he checks a lot of the boxes that teams are looking for in the modern center. Maluach can protect the rim at an elite level, he's shown the ability to stretch defenses to the 3-point line, and has the athleticism to keep pace defensively on the perimeter.
Maluach would be a great addition to the Raptors' talented core, and he would be their long-term answer at the center position. He'd be a huge boost immediately to a team that was just average on the defensive end of the floor, and give the team another young player that they could rally around heading into the future.